This invention also relates to a keno game, and more particularly to a keno game that utilizes progressive jackpot pools and increases the attractiveness of the game to the players.
Conventional keno is a well known game. In conventional keno, there are eighty numbers in the pool--typically eighty keno balls numbered 1 through 80 and maintained in a air blower device that circulates the keno balls. Twenty of the eighty keno balls are selected each game.
Each player marks a keno ticket that is an 8.times.10 matrix with all eighty numbers printed thereon. The player selects between one and fifteen numbers that the player thinks will be drawn during the game. The player makes an appropriate wager. Depending on the number of matches between the twenty numbers drawn and the numbers selected by the player, the player wins or loses. The more numbers that match, the higher the payoff to the player. In keno, unlike in bingo which is keno's related number drawing game, there is no requirement that the numbers that are drawn must appear in certain patterns on the keno ticket. However in keno, also unlike bingo in which numbers are drawn until a winner occurs, only twenty numbers are drawn each keno game so there is no guarantee that a player will win each game.
In live keno, multiple players participate each game and no players may win, some players may win or all players may win. In traditional live keno, players may select between one and fifteen numbers and wagers can range from as little as 35.cent. a game to $5, $10 or even higher dollars per game. Typically each establishment operating a keno game will provide for the players a payout chart showing the amount possible to be won by the player based on the amount wagered, the number of numbers selected by the player and the number of matches achieved by the player when the twenty keno balls are selected. For example, if the player wagers $1 and selects one number, the player will typically win $3 if his one number is one of the twenty keno balls drawn during the play of the game. Similarly, if the player selects fifteen numbers, the player will typically be paid if anywhere between a total of eight and fifteen of his numbers match the twenty keno balls drawn. The highest payout will be made for matching fifteen out of fifteen, with lower payouts made for matching fourteen out of fifteen, thirteen out of fifteen and so on down to eight out of fifteen. Any matches of seven or less are losing plays. Similar payout schemes are provided for selections by the player of between one and fifteen numbers.
In electronic keno, a single player plays against the gaming machine for each round of the game and the player either wins or loses each round. The electronic controls of the gaming machine randomly select twenty numbers from the pool of eighty numbers and determine whether the player has achieved a winning payout at the conclusion of each round of the game. The player wagers a coin, token or credit and selects the number of numbers that the player is attempting to match during that round of the game. The selection is made by using a light pen, or pressing the numbers on a selection panel or touching the numbers selected using conventional touch screen technology. In the typical electronic keno format, the player may select between one and ten numbers to attempt to match. When the player presses the "Start" button, the electronic controls of the gaming machine select twenty numbers from the total pool of eighty numbers. Just as in live keno, the player wins when he matches all or a predetermined minimum number of his selected numbers. If the player matches less than the predetermined minimum number of his selected numbers, then the player loses.
Conventional bingo is also a well known game and is related to keno. In conventional bingo, players are provided with bingo cards that have a matrix of five rows and five columns. The columns are lettered B I N G O from left to right across the top of the matrix and each bingo card has five numbers in each row except the center column which has a "free space" at the intersection of the third row and the third column.
Bingo balls individually numbered 1-75 are mixed together and balls are selected one at a time. As each ball is selected, the number is announced to the players, who cover any corresponding number on their bingo card. When a player achieves a predetermined arrangement of covered spots on his bingo card, that player yells out "Bingo|" and he wins he game.
In the conventional manner of play of bingo, in order to win the game, a player must cover five spaces in a vertical column, a horizontal row or along one of the two diagonals of the bingo card. The free space in the center of the bingo card allows a player to win with as few as four numbers being drawn. Other winning combinations include the four corners of the bingo card and the eight numbers immediately adjacent and surrounding the free space. Winning combinations can also include the covering of spots on the bingo card so that letter symbols are formed such as an X, U, L, H or T.
The operator of the bingo game will designate at the beginning of the game which particular combination or combinations of covered spots will be winning combinations for that particular game. It is also popular to play "coverall" or "blackout" games in which all of the spots on the bingo card must be covered (the twenty-four spots having numbers and the center free space) in order for the player to win.
There is a need to increase the player appeal of keno in order to generate increased revenues from the operation of the game. Increased player participation would allow the payment of higher payouts which in turn would generate more player participation.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of playing keno and an improved keno apparatus that will increase the player participation in the game.
It is a further object of the present invention to increase the popularity of keno by increasing the difficulty factor of getting a winning keno ticket, to allow for prizes high enough to attract gamblers away from other types of gaming such as video poker, slot machines and live table games, and to compete with lotteries.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a large electronic display board on which all of the possible keno ball numbers are displayed. Prior to each game, some of the numbers on the display board are specially designated with a first distinctive marking and the remaining numbers on the display board are specially designated with a second distinctive marking. These special designations are accomplished by means of an electronic random number generator so that chance is introduced into the selection of which numbers receive the first distinctive marking and the second distinctive marking.
It is a further feature of the present invention to provide a bonus jackpot feature, that can either be a progressive jackpot or flat jackpot amount, to the game of keno for which the player is automatically eligible for the bonus jackpot simply by playing the game of keno or by which the player can become eligible for the bonus jackpot by making a separate wager in addition to the regular wager for the regular keno game.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide that the wagers made by the player are used to fund the special payouts made to the player for certain winning keno combinations. In one form, the wager is split between the payouts for a regular keno game and the bonus jackpot payouts for certain pre-designated winning combinations. In another form, a first wager makes the player eligible for payouts on the regular keno game and a second optional wager makes the player eligible for bonus jackpot payouts for certain pre-designated winning combinations.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the additional features added to the keno game will allow more and higher payouts to be made by the gaming establishment or the keno game operator. This will result in increased player participation and additional revenues to the gaming establishment or keno game operator.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.
The present invention is a refinement of the principles and concepts described in the applicant's previous applications for patents, viz. U.S. application Ser. No. 08/182,850, filed Jan. 18, 1994, entitled "Bingo Game", now Pat. No. 5,482,289 and U.S. application Ser. No. 08/569,793, filed Dec. 8, 1995, entitled "Bingo Game", now pending. The disclosure of each of these patents is incorporated herein by this reference.